A not so troublesome Christmas
by Rose-Aki
Summary: Due to snowstorms Temari has to stay in Konoha. She starts to feel alone, but then she meets a special someone in the park. Shikamaru/Temari


A/N: I hope you all like my Christmas story for Temari and Shikamaru :)

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It was Christmas and Temari sat alone in her room in the embassy. The reason for her involuntary stay in Konoha were the snowstorms, that hadn't left for two days. This morning she could have started traveling back, but it would still be to late for her to arrive in Suna for Christmas. She didn't want to spend this holiday on the road so she had decided to stay in Konoha.

Looking around her room she felt even more lonely then before.

'I have to get out of here.' She thought to herself and went outside in the cold evening weather.

It was snowing and the wind made it even colder than it already was, but Temari didn't care. Everything was better than being alone in the barely decorated room in the embassy.

When she looked around she saw couples walking in the park. Even in this weather they didn't seemed to care about the cold and looked happily in love.

Temari felt sadness wash over her at seeing this. Even if she didn't admit it openly she wanted to spend Christmas with someone who had become special to her over the years. It was no secret that she spend a lot of time with a certain lazy genius, but it was a secret that she had also strong feelings for him.

Looking again at a passing by couple she wished her and him could be like that, but as soon as this thought entered her mind she dismissed it.

'As if that would ever happen. He doesn't even know how I feel about him and if he would, it wouldn't change a thing. All I will ever be to him is a troublesome woman.'

Walking around she slowly felt the cold bitting her skin. She wasn't used to this climate. In Suna it was always warm, even in winter.

"Why are you walking around in this cold?" She shivered, but not from the cold. His voice always had this effect on her.

"I felt like it."

"Troublesome woman." The Konoha shinobi shrugged.

"When it is so cold why are you outside genius?"

"I was home and celebrated Christmas with my parents, but then my mother began nagging so I took a walk."

Temari rolled her eyes. Just like Shikamaru to avoid all the troublesome things in his life.

Suddenly a cold wind blew and she shivered again, this time because of the weather. Shikamaru saw this and without hesitance took off his coat and dropped it on her shoulders.

"You are so troublesome."

Temari almost blushed at the sweet gesture, but caught herself in time. She was not going to let him see how much he affected her.

"I can take care of myself. Take it back."

When she moved to remove his coat he caught her hand.

"Stop being so stubborn and keep it."

"I am not stubborn." The Suna kunoichi said and glared at him.

Shikamaru sighed. Discussing this with her was pointless, she would never give in and admit that she was stubborn.

"I will take you back to the embassy."

"NO." After her outburst she continued in a calmer voice. "No, I am fine here."

"How can you be fine when you are freezing?"

"I like the cold." Temari crossed her arms defensively in front of her chest.

Shikamaru studied her for a moment. The way she had reacted at first when he had mentioned bringing her back was unusual. Even if she had caught herself after that he knew that something was of.

Thinking it over he remembered how he had noticed the way she was looking longingly at the couples passing by before he approached her. Everything lead the genius to one conclusion. She must have felt alone in her room in the embassy, so she went outside to be around people. He understood that. Her family was in Suna and she was stuck in Konoha on Christmas.

Planning his next moves carefully he decided on a strategy and spoke up.

"Let's go already. It's cold and troublesome here."

Without waiting for her protest he took her hand in his and went in the direction of the embassy.

Temari gasped at the contact. Now they looked almost like a couple, a fighting one, but a couple none the less.

"Stop this. I can find my way back alone. I don't need you to guide me there."

"Interesting I thought Tsunade assigned me to be your guide. Don't you remember?"

Their playful banter made Temari smile for the first time on this Christmas.

"Smart-ass."

The way to the embassy was short so it didn't take them long to get there. When they arrived Temari hesitated. She knew what she wanted to ask him, but her pride wouldn't let her.

'I want to spend the rest of the evening with him, so why can't I just ask him to stay with me?'

"Temari?"

The Suna kunoichi looked up to see Shikamaru scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Yeah?"

"Can I come in? You know I am sure my mom is still nagging and it would be troublesome to go all the way back just to see her still being at it."

Temari had to turn away from him to hide the smile that had made his way to her face.

"Fine enter if you must."

Smiling at her comment Shikamaru entered. He had seen her hesitance and it confirmed his suspicion, so he made this excuse to spend more time with her. Maybe this Christmas would be less troublesome with her around or maybe it would get even more troublesome. He didn't know that yet, but he was sure that it was the right decision to be there with her.

Looking around the room he saw that she had bought a Christmas tree.

"I had to have one of those, seeing that all of you in Konoha need such a thing to celebrate Christmas properly." The blond kunoichi stated when she noticed him looking at the tree.

"Well even if it is a drag it is tradition to have one."

"For you everything is a drag." Temari said and rolled her eyes. "I like this tradition. We don't have something like this in Suna."

"Then how do you celebrate this holiday in Suna?"

"It's nothing like here. Christmas isn't all about family, love and Christmas spirit. It is more formal and cold. Kind of ironical, cold in Suna."

Shikamaru saw that she didn't like what she was talking about. Maybe she didn't miss celebrating Christmas in Suna so much.

"So celebrating it is better in Konoha?" He asked, testing his theory.

"I won't say anything against Suna."

Her loyalty to her home country even in such a trivial matter impressed Shikamaru.

"I didn't want you to interpret it like that. I know that in your eyes Suna will be better no matter in which category."

"Well spotted genius, but I have to say Konoha has become my second home, so spending Christmas here isn't so bad."

Shikamaru smirked at her confession, but suddenly he noticed something.

"Why is it so cold here?"

"Well...I didn't knew where the firewood is stocked here in the embassy." Temari looked down ashamed while explaining it.

"What a drag. I will get it. I know where it is."

"Just tell me where it is. I can get it myself. I don't need your help." She protested.

"Like I would let a woman carry all the firewood up here."

"Stop being chauvinistic." However her words fell on deaf ears because Shikamaru was already out of the room to get the wood.

At first Temari was angry at him for ignoring her protest, but then she had to admit that it was sweet of him to do the work. Now that she thought about it he wasn't as lazy when he was around her. He often did a lot of small things for her that were normally 'too troublesome' for him. Maybe she wasn't the only one who felt more for someone than they would admit.

Deciding to get more comfortable she first removed the coat he had given her and then her own, but there was something that bothered Temari.

'Maybe I should let my hair down...maybe he would like that.'

For Temari it was a difficult decision, because letting her hair down mean more to her than to the most. Only her brothers had seen her with it down, because she felt more vulnerable with it. For her letting her hair loss was a sign of trust. It showed her more womanly and softer side. Was she really ready to let him see her like this with her guard down?

A few minutes later Shikamaru reentered her room with his arms full of firewood. He quickly lit a fire and sat down on the couch in front of the fireplace next to Temari.

The moment his eyes landed on the sand princess his breath caught in his throat. She had let her hair down and the light of the fire hit her face perfectly.

"You are beautiful." The words left his mouth before he could stop himself.

Realizing what he had said he hoped that she hadn't heard it, but seeing her blush and shyly look away he had his answer. She had definite heart it. Trying to divert her from his confession he approached another topic.

"Are you still cold?"

"Maybe a little." Came her unusual soft voice.

For the first time in his life Shikamaru thought not about the next two hundred possible outcomes and pulled her closer to himself. Temari automatically snuggled closer to his warm body and lay her head on his chest.

"Better?"

She only nodded in response. The young Nara looked down at the Suna princess and couldn't help but feel that she belonged in his arms. To show her softer side to someone was rare for her and maybe that was a sign for him to finally tell her his feelings.

Deciding on his next rather risky move he lifted her head slightly up with his hand so they could lock eyes.

"It's troublesome, but I love you Temari."

He saw her yes widen and he thought that maybe he had misinterpreted her and she wasn't feeling the same way, but the moment she spoke up all his worries flew out of the window.

"I love you too lazy ass."

Maybe the insulting wasn't necessary, but that was just the way she was and he loved her for being herself. Closing the little gap between their lips he kissed his new girlfriend. Temari was in heaven when she felt him deepening the kiss. She wouldn't feel alone anymore as long as he was by her side loving her with all his heart.

This Christmas in Konoha was definite the best she had ever had and all thanks to the amazing shinobi kissing her.

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A/N: Thanks for reading and I wish you all Merry Christmas :)


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